Maerlyn Eldham
Maerlyn Arthur Eldham (born c. 554 K.C.) is a former Scarlet High Inquisitor, Bishop of the Cult of Forgotten Shadows, and intern of the Ethics and Compliance department within branch 27-B of the Royal Apothecary Society. Within the Cult, he leads the sect known as The Grey Edict. During his life, particularly his tenure with the Scarlet Crusade, he was feared for his ruthless methods of punishment and interrogation, utilizing both Light and Shadow magic to extract loyalty from dissenters and punish heretics within and without the zealous organization. He was slain by one of the Crusade's own knights while defending the city of Stratholme from an incursion by the Argent Dawn. His body was stolen by Forsaken agents during the same incursion, after which it was transported to the Undercity and reanimated by the Val'kyr. Physical Description A tall, imposing figure with an equally commanding voice, Maerlyn is often clad in dark, regal robes that conceal the frailty of his aged body and hide the wound that ended his life—a single thrust of a greatsword through the man's chest. Having lived nearly seventy years before being raised into undeath, his gaunt figure bears all of the hallmarks of advanced age. His mastery of the Light and Shadow however, as well as the necromantic magic that raised him, make him nonetheless a capable and rigorously driven servant of the Dark Lady, both in body and mind. Personality Maerlyn possesses an extraordinary willpower. Devoting himself zealously to the Light for many decades, and increasingly more to the Shadow as well in his later years, he learned the secrets to guarding oneself against the natural reaction to pain, as well as steeling the mind against forces that would unhinge it. Despite this, the increase of his cruelty and apathy as he delved deeper into the Shadow suggests that his mind has indeed been altered by lingering in the darkness too long. Even after his reanimation, Maerlyn still wields the Light in equal measure, though as with all undead who attempt this, the act of doing so with any prolonged intensity causes him a tremendous amount of agony. Nevertheless, the former inquisitor's will is iron. His discipline and training to resist and subvert the effects of pain allow him to continue practicing his magic without completely losing his mind, as some have. It is perhaps his success at retaining his connection to the Light that has profoundly influenced Maerlyn's perspective on unlife, and his staunch belief that undeath is not a curse, but a gift reserved for those chosen by the Shadow to enter into a new evolution of mankind, ascending to a new level of physical strength and putting off the hindrances of a living body, such as age and susceptibility to pain or insanity. Fiercely loyal to Sylvanas and the Forsaken, and a staunch believer in their cause, Maerlyn is nevertheless mistrustful and dismissive of the more "barbaric" and "bestial" races (as he sees them), regarding only humans, elves, and fellow Forsaken as equals. His tolerance of these others and willingness to partner with them as allies within the Horde is indicative of his resolve to see the Forsaken triumph. History As a clergyman in the Lordaeronian church for the better part of his life, Maerlyn Arthur Eldham was once a kind man who spread charity and good will to all he encountered, intent on preaching the Light's benevolence to the downtrodden and wealthy alike. Shortly before the First War, his beloved wife Eleanor tragically perished on an ocean voyage and the once steadfast holy man was left shattered and inconsolable. This great personal calamity awakened in him a darkness that was intensified by his unexplained acquisition of a mysterious bauble through which he began delving into the knowledge of the Shadow. By the time the kingdom of Lordaeron found itself in the grip of the Scourge, the once gracious Maerlyn had become cold and severe, and after the kingdom fell, he joined with the Scarlet Crusade, intent on purging the taint from his homeland. The erosion of his humanity already well underway, Maerlyn served in the ranks of the Crusade by assisting with the exposure and punishment of heretics and dissenters, eventually working his way up to become a High Inquisitor in the Scarlet Bastion at Stratholme. At the pinnacle of his reign of terror, however, he was slain by a rogue Crimson Legion templar, and his body was left to be discovered shortly thereafter by Forsaken agents who transported it to the Undercity. There, Forsaken High Command deemed him worthy of reanimation, knowing that his penchant for exposing traitors and religious dedication to inspiring loyalty would be a great asset to the Banshee Queen. Quotes To be added. External Links Maerlyn Eldham @ WoW Armory Category:Forsaken Category:Priest Category:Horde Priest Category:Scarlet Crusade Category:Characters Category:Royal Apothecary Society